The Right or the Easy
by It's me get over it
Summary: Hayffie Week Day 4-AU. Haymitch, Effie and a lot of familiar faces are teenagers going to Hogwarts. For years Haymitch and Effie have been happy to mostly ignore each other until suddenly they are forced to work together. Then everything starts to change.


Hayffie Week submission for Thursday- AU. This is set in the Harry Potter Universe, but only minor mentions of anyone from there. Basically, Haymitch, Effie and all their friends/enemies at Hogwarts. And this story just kept going in my mind. Sorry its a lot longer than I'd planed it to be and people may find parts boring... But I couldn't get it out of my head!

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#hayffieweek #haymitchabernathy #effietrinket #au #hg #hp #hogwarts

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Haymitch looked up from his Quiddich magazine as he heard people enter his compartment.

"Hey, 'Mitch," Chaff called, grinning at his joke as he let his brother, Cinna, and their friends Beetee and Wiress in.

"That joke is no funnier than the first time you made it," Beetee commented, barely looking at the larger Gryffindor as he helped his girlfriend put her trunk away, "six years ago."

"That's never stopped him before Beetee, I don't think he's gonna change now," Haymitch commented.

The Sixth Year Ravenclaw girl sat next to the Slytherin boy. The cabin went quiet as they all looked at her.

"I heard about your father," she finally said. Haymitch sucked in a breath and all the boys stiffen at her words. "I'm so sorry Haymitch."

She enveloped him in a hug and it took a moment for Haymitch to relax into it.

"Thanks Wiress. I'm okay, I promise."

The young woman soon pulled back and moved over a seat to lean into her boyfriend.

"So," Cinna started, looking between them all, "Any body hear who made Head Boy and Girl?"

Haymitch and Chaff shook their heads, but Beetee grinned nodding from his place in the corner.

"I swear if you say either Snow or Coin, I'm gonna jump off this train right now," Haymitch muttered.

"Not before me," Chaff said, only half joking.

Beetee chuckled. "No one will be jumping from the train. Well, not for that reason anyways. Neither of them was made Head this year. The girl from Gryffindor, Paylor was named Head Girl, while Head Boy went to a guy from Hufflepuff; Prewett."

"Thank Merlin for that. Although I guess we're still gonna have to deal with all their scheming and petty get backs," Haymitch noted. "How she wasn't in Slytherin, I still don't know."

"Hey maybe they'll hook up again. Then they'll be too busy with each other to bother the rest of the school," Chaff commented hopefully.

"That'd be too much to hope for."

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#hayffieweek #haymitchabernathy #effietrinket #au #hg #hp #hogwarts

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"Will you quit your bitching?" Chaff snapped at his friend. "I get it; you don't like her. You don't want to have to do rounds with her, but suck it up man! At least she's easy on the eye. You wanna swap?"

"If I had to do rounds with Crane I'd probably punch his arrogant little face in," Haymitch muttered opening their cabin.

"Yeah, well _I_ still might. Then again I might punch another Slytherin's if he doesn't shut up soon."

"Things not go well at your Prefect meeting?" Cinna asked.

A couple of Cinna's friends found and joined him the cabin while the elder three boys were at the meeting.

"Oh, it went fine. Haymitch just isn't a fan of Paylor and Prewett's idea of inter House and Year patrols. Hello Finnick, Annie," Beetee greeted the new additions, squeezing past the two arguing friends to be seated by his House mate and girlfriend again.

"Oh, who are you paired with?" Cinna asked.

"I got Slytherin's Crane, while he got Hufflepuff's Trinket," Chaff explained.

"Oh, you're with Effie? She's great! A little high strung and over organised, but very friendly, very kind-hearted," Finnick gushed.

"I'm so glad they made her a Prefect," Annie agreed.

"Hey! Congrats Hay-man! They made you Captain of the Quiddich team," Finnick exclaimed, slapping the Slytherin on the arm.

"Don't call me Hay-man," Haymitch grumbled, leaning forward to steal a handful of Berty Bots from the Hufflepuff couple. But he did grin proudly when he looked down at the new badge on chest, as he sat down.

"Yeah, well they can't do any worse than their last one," Chaff teased sitting opposed his best friend. "How many newbies you gonna have to get this year?"

"At least one chaser," Haymitch admitted a distant calculating look in his eye, pulling a face at the flavour he'd grabbed.

"You making Mason permanent?" Finnick probed.

"She's good enough," Haymitch said with a nod. "And I'll probably look for a spare that fits into the team too. We'll need it against you cheats."

"Says the man who pulled a stunt so controversial Hooch had to contact her friend in the league to help determine if it was legal or not!" Finnick called indignantly.

"Shut up Odair! Hey Reed, open up," Haymitch called.

Obediently Chaff opened his mouth and Haymitch threw the green bean into it. Instantly the Gryffindor boy spat out the bean.

"Did you just throw me a snot flavoured one?!"

"I dunno, was it?" Haymitch laughed. "I just know I wasn't gonna try it."

Chaff jumped on top of him, intending to wack him a few times in the head for feeding him the bean, but a short and sharp tap at the door interrupted the two Sixth Years play wrestling. All the cabin occupants looked up as a mass of pink hair stuck in.

"Hi Effie," most of the cabin chorused.

"Hi Cinna, Finnick, Annie, Wiress, Beetee," she greeted back, a large smile on her face. "Come on Haymitch, it's time for our rounds."

"Relax Sweetheart. They're not going to take the badge off you if you don't start your rounds exactly on time," Haymitch grumbled, shoving Chaff off himself and putting his feet up; making himself comfortable.

"Because if they did, you never would have worn yours off the Hogwarts Express," she bit back, the smile never leaving her face.

A smatter of stifled laughter went around the cabin. Haymitch didn't know which surprised him more, her quick retort or his own amusement at it. Maybe she wouldn't be too bad to work with on patrols. Then she lifted the bag he'd been resting his feet on, causing him to lose his balance and fall to the floor, and all his friends erupted into laughter.

On second thought, she was going to be nothing but a pain.

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#hayffieweek #haymitchabernathy #effietrinket #au #hg #hp #hogwarts

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Chaff let out a groan as Haymitch's queen took another of his pieces. The Slytherin boy just chuckled.

"Why do I even agree to play you?"

"I dunno, chess is not your game, man."

Cinna walked up and looked over his brother's shoulder. A chuckle escaped him.

"He's got you in five, bro."

"Less, if he makes a wrong move here," Haymitch corrected, his confident smirk in place.

Chaff sweated under their joint attention, before he gave a loud cry and moved his last Rook.

"Less," Cinna agreed. "Hey, you guys been in here long?"

Haymitch looked at his watch and thought back. "An hour, maybe an hour and a half. Why?"

"Wondering if you've seen Effie."

"Morgana have mercy, can't I go one day without hearing that witch's name?!" Chaff exclaimed annoyed. "If I'm not listening to this one," he pointed at Haymitch, "complain about her. And man, you spend _way_ too much time going on about her. I don't care what colour you've made her hair turn or whatever! So, when I'm not listening to him, I'm listening to her love-sick pee-brained boyfriend gush about her on patrol. She went home for the break. I got two weeks of peace!"

"Afraid not Chaff. Portia said she saw her bringing her belonging back to the castle earlier today."

"Why?" Haymitch asked, while his bishop took another of the Gryffindor's pieces.

"I don't know; that's why I am looking for her."

"Where have you checked? Her spot by the greenhouses? Or favourite corner of the library?"

"Hey Cinna can you give me a hint here?" Chaff implored his brother, pretending he wasn't part of their other conversation.

"Nope, you're gone brother. We checked those places and the corridor leading to Hufflepuff's dorms. Do you know of anywhere else she goes?"

"You tried Crane's favourite spot? Maybe she's catching up with her boyfriend in some privacy," Chaff offered, sighing in annoyance. "You know, that spot between the Slytherin droms and the potions rooms? He hangs out there."

"Why do you know that?" Haymitch looked at his friend confused.

"So it's weird for me to know that, but its normal and okay for you to know all Trinket's haunts?"

"Yeah, 'cos unlike you, I enjoy talking with my patrol partner," Haymitch scoffed.

"You _enjoy_ talking with Trinket now?" Chaff immediately called his friend up on his choice of words. "What's next, you gonna be friends?"

Haymitch felt his cheeks flush as what he'd said registered in his mind. Why did he say that? He wasn't in the mood to explain the complicated details of his friendship with Effie Trinket.

"Check mate," Haymitch called as his last piece moved. The pieces gave a cheer at his victory, while Chaff's groaned at their loss.

He didn't gloat in his win like he normally would. Instead his thoughts were on Effie and where she could be. If she wasn't in any of her usual spots that meant she wanted to be alone. What could have made her seek solitude? She was always sociable, he was the recluse not her.

"I'm gonna go for a walk. Nice game mate, you are getting better," he offered Chaff standing and patting the older boy's shoulder. "Good luck finding Effie, Cinna."

The two brothers watched him leave the Great Hall and he suspect they both knew he was going on his own search for Effie. Why was the thought of her missing bothering him so much? His feet took him outside near the lake.

Where would she go? There were a lot of hiding places in Hogwarts. If someone didn't want to be found that could be done. But she wouldn't want to be alone. Not truly. So where could she go?

Haymitch had just reached the tree line when an expected noise caught his ear. Whipping his wand out and spinning to face the tree more fully, he was both surprised and relieved to see her familiar bubble-gum pink hair.

"What are you doing out here Princess? Thought you went home for the term break," Haymitch commented, approaching her.

"I, er, I just came back today," she stammered, getting to her feet to face him.

"Guess your boyfriend will be happy you're here for the holidays then."

"Um, Seneca and I broke up just before I term break," Effie explained.

"Oh," Haymitch commented lamely.

He didn't want to think about the shot of excitement that went through him at this. What did he care who she was dating? He didn't. Who she was or wasn't dating was none of his concern.

"Yeah, and if he wants me back, he knows what he has to do. But I know he won't," she commented sadly.

"Then he's an idiot," Haymitch said without thinking. Her eyes shot out to meet his, but he quickly changed the topic again, "Why are you back early Princess?" She avoided his eyes at this, but he somehow knew the words on the tip of her tongue were a lie to help her save face. "Hey, remember; no lying if we're gonna be a team."

He quoted the truce they'd come to months ago to try and break down their mistrust. Looking back that was the moment things stated to change between them. That's when he realised he could trust her and she could be a friend if he let her.

"Family reasons. I really don't want to go into it," she offered.

Haymitch watch her closely and saw her hair transition to blue and purple streaks. He'd started cataloguing what emotions went with what hair colour for her. It only happened if she wasn't paying attention. And this was a colour pattern he'd never seen before.

He must have been staring too intently, because Haymitch saw her cheeks flush quickly before her usual bubble-gum pink hair was back.

"You'd tell me if something was wrong, wouldn't you?"

"Like I could hide it from you," she reassured him. "It's nothing you can help with Haymitch. It is what it is, and I have to make my choice."

Somehow her words didn't reassure him. Although, he could see in her clear blue eyes she wasn't lying. She was scared. But she wasn't lying to him. He nodded.

"So, when does your schedule say we're due next for patrol?"

"The second night of class resuming," she dutifully reminded him, with a small huff at his disorganisation.

"Right. I'll see you around, Princess," he offered turning to leave her. "Oh Cinna and Portia are looking for you too. You might want to find them before they turn to the House Elves for help."

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#hayffieweek #effietrinket #haymitchabernathy #au #hg #hp #hogwarts

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Effie watched relieved as Peeta took Prim's unconscious form into his arms and ran back to the castle. She didn't follow him long because she knew she needed to focus on the culprit of Prim's injuries.

"Why would you do that to a twelve year old?" the elder Everdeen girl yelled at them. "Why?"

"Because you and your kind are a stain on the good name of wizards and witches," came the rich tones of Coriolanus Snow as he stepped out of the shadows of the Forbidden Forest. "Stains need to be removed Miss Everdeen."

"You will never get away with something like this," she bravely stated. "Never."

Snow just laughed. "Who will stop me? You?"

Gloss and Enobaria joined in laughing at her. Effie felt a cold hand of dread grip her insides at the hollow sound.

"Yes," Katniss promised.

"All by yourself?"

"She's not all by herself," Effie said, drawing her wand and standing beside the Third Year Gryffindor.

"Effie, please think about what you're doing," Seneca begged training his wand on the Hufflepuff Prefect. "If your parents knew about this, they would disown you."

"I know they will, but how do you live with yourself, Seneca? There's a good man in you and I'd hoped he was stronger than your ambition," her face softened, but her wand didn't waiver from her ex-boyfriend. "Joining you would be easy, but I don't know how I would be able to live with myself. Did you see Prim, Seneca? Did you see what they were willing to do to her? She's just turned twelve years old!"

"It's for the good of wizarding-kind Effie! Why can't you see that? Even Coin can understand reasons for purification. Why do you think one of her would-be solders lead a mudblood like her right to where we were waiting?"

"What?"

"Gale?" Effie heard Katniss breathe as they both eyed the unconscious boy.

Effie'd known that Slytherin boy was nothing but bad news. He was too narrow-minded when it came to good and bad. Too quick to speak about things he didn't truly understand.

"She understands the need for purification; she just doesn't want to get her hands dirty," Seneca explained.

"Magic is magic. There is no foundation for the belief that heritage has _anything_ to with strength or ability. Purification is only justification for the pointless ending of lives!"

"That's easy for you to say Miss Euphemia Trinket," Snow smoothly commented. "You're from a privileged family, of pure heritage and you have the added fortune of being a natural metamorphmagus. Your kind of blood and heritage would be placed at the top of the pyramid I'm creating. Join me and be the envy of the entire world. No one would ever forget you."

Effie didn't answer him; but felt betrayal pass through her like a shiver. Seneca had told Snow about her greatest fear. He'd broken her trust and she couldn't quickly or easily forgive that. Instead she cast a stunning jinx at her ex just before dodging the spell thrown at her by the expelled Slytherin Seventh Year. She heard spells being cast and knew the others hadn't remained impassive.

Effie was no great duellist, but she could be light on her feet and was good at charms and transfiguration. If there was ever a time to put that to use, it was now. Casting a few quick jinxes and throwing up her strongest shield, she reassessed the path between Hogsmeade and Hogwarts. It was just her and the elder Everdeen girl against Snow and his three cronies. Well, just two more now that she'd knocked Seneca out. The Gryffindor girl was holding her own against the two, but they were older and Effie didn't think she'd hold for long.

Fear washed through Effie, and surprisingly so did a clarification. She couldn't; she _wouldn't_ , just stand back and do nothing. She will stand and she will fight, not just now but from today onwards.

After renewing her defensive shield, she threw her strongest curse at the eldest one attacking Katniss, the Sixth Year; Enobaria. She hadn't been expecting it and the curse knocked her out. Katniss was able to use the distraction to put a full body binding curse on her other attacker; Gloss.

"Run! Run Katniss! Get back to Prim!" Effie screamed at her before firing all the hexes, jinxes and curses she knew at Snow.

The mention of her sister was enough to snap the dark haired girl into action and without giving the Hufflepuff girl more than a glance she ran. Snow looked amused as he watched the younger girl disappear from view and the young woman before him tried to launch an attack on him.

"That was almost Gryffindor of you Trinket," Snow laughed. "A fool-hearty mistake."

"Loyalty to those who are worth it is never fool-hearty," she answered, breathing heavily. Effie had only ever worked this hard in last years Defence exam and even then she didn't get good grades.

"And Everdeen is?" he mocked, throwing curses to make her dodge. "Mellark I could understand, House-loyalty and all that. But Everdeen? She barely gave you a glance as you sacrificed yourself so she could get away."

"Her priority is her sister; which is as it should be."

"And what is your priority Miss Trinket? Who are willing to fight for?"

"Those I love and care for," she answered, concentrating on identifying and avoiding his most painful spells.

"Who might that be?"

While Effie had no intention of actually answering him, a call from the path back to Hogwarts immediately drew her attention.

"EFFIE!"

Her distraction at hearing Haymitch's voice was enough for Snow to land a devastating blow. She didn't see the red flash of the curse that hit her, but she knew when her whole body erupted in fiery pain from what hit her.

Her scream from the crucio curse filled the air, and even the creatures of the Forbidden Forest went quiet at the sound.

Every one of her nerve ending felt like they were on fire. She'd had accidents as a child before she learnt to control her metamorphmagus ability where she'd transformed into something she couldn't get out of without help; or the one time where they had to get a Healer to put each of her bones back into place. That was _nothing_ compared to this.

The pain kept rippling through her body. She felt her eyes roll into the back of her head as white light flashed before her eyes.

Then it was suddenly gone.

Her body collapsed, unable to find any strength she just remained where she fell. The relief that swept through her was indescribable. She could hear raised voices, but they sounded like they were coming to her from the other end of a tunnel. She couldn't even lift her head to check. The voices were there, but distant at the same time. She couldn't distinguish voices but whatever they were saying, their conversation didn't last long.

When silence fell Effie could feel darkness hoovering to take her into its peaceful embrace.

"Effie," a familiar voice called to her, she felt her head and shoulders being lifted.

She opened her eyes and was met by the one thing she most wanted to see; grey eyes looking down at her.

"Haymitch," she tried to say, but she didn't think it came out very clearly. Concentrating she spoke again, "Peeta? Everdeens?"

A watery chuckle escaped the Sixth Year holding her.

"Yeah, Princess they're safe. Peeta got Prim to the Hospital Wing and Katniss was quick to go there herself to check after the kid."

"Goo-" she slurred as she fell into the darkness, her head lolling.

Before she could, her head forced up again. This time when she opened her eyes she was looking into concerned green eyes. It took her a moment to recognise them; Professor McGonagall.

"No going to sleep just yet Miss Trinket," the tone was stern, but Effie could hear the mix of concern and pride. "I need to make sure you're not concussed or suffering any other trauma first."

Effie felt the gentle ripple of magic travel over her body from McGonagall's diagnosis spell. The feel of magic contacting her strained, sensitive nerves and magic core made Effie whimper.

"Okay, child you may rest," she heard her say softly. "Do you want to levitate her or shall I Abernathy?"

"No!" Effie felt arms pull her closer. "No, I've got her Professor."

The familiar smell of generic soap and something she knew to be just Haymitch wrapped comfortingly around her and she slipped into the waiting darkness. She felt secure in the thought that Haymitch would be looking out for her.

* * *

#hayffieweek #effietrinket #haymitchabernathy #au #hg #hp #hogwarts

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The next time Effie opened her eyes it was to raised voices coming from her bed side.

"If you don't go and get some rest Mr Abernathy, I will ban you from the Hospital Wing," Madam Pomfrey cried an air of being frazzled about her.

"Just try!" he yelled back.

Effie thought he looked horrible. Haymitch never gave much care to his hair or general appearance, but he looked even more ragged and worn down than normal. His hair looked like it hadn't seen either a shower or even a brush for days.

"Effie, you're awake," a voice next to her softly called.

Turning she saw the relieved eyes of Prim watching her from her own bed. The young girl still had a bandage on her arm, but she was smiling and looked happy. Between their two beds sat Katniss and Peeta, both looked relieved to see her awake.

"Hey," she greeted them all faintly.

She looked back to Haymitch and saw him watching her back. They managed to smile weakly at each other.

"Took you long enough to wake up Princess," Haymitch said gruffly. "Always have to do things on your terms, don't you?"

She tried to sit up by herself, but her body screamed at her in protest at the motion. Almost instantly Haymitch was beside her helping her. When he moved back, she felt an awkwardness settle between them.

"Judging by your smell I have been out for two days," she retorted, trying to return to them to their teasing. "It would be nice if you bothered to look after yourself, without prompting."

"I've spent the two days making sure you wouldn't wake alone, and this is the thanks I get?"

His eyes shone with silent amusement at her words. But she could also see a large level of genuine annoyance in them too.

"What thanks did you want?" she asked.

"Probably a kiss," Peeta said with a laugh.

"Yeah!" Prim joined in. "Kissy-kissy."

Effie was surprised to see a flush cross the Slytherin's cheeks. The two Hufflepuffs continued to laugh and made kissing motions to them, while the Gryffindor girl looked embarrassed at the very thought.

"That's enough of that," Pomfrey called, bringing order back to her Infirmary. "Miss Everdeen and Mr Mellark your visiting time is over; young Miss Everdeen needs her rest." With a wave of her wand the Matron returned the privacy screen between Effie and Prim's beds. "And you Mr Abernathy have been loitering in here long enough. I will give you 10 minuets with Miss Trinket before I want you out of here. She may be awake, but she still needs peace and rest. And so do you for that matter."

Next things Effie knew the two of them were left alone. There must have been a privacy charm attached to the screens because Peeta and Katniss's farewell to Prim was muffled.

She patted the spot on the bed beside her hip and rather than take in invitation he played with her hand instead. Effie smiled at his odd gesture.

"Did you really spend the last two days here?" she asked.

"Three actually."

"Why?"

"I've never been that scared or angry in all my life. When I heard you scream from the cruse…" His eyes were unfocused and he looked haunted. "I felt ready to kill Snow. If McGonagall wasn't there, I think I would have."

Effie gave his hand a squeeze and pulled him closer to the bed.

"Why were you even there?"

"I was talking with Chaff on the lawn when Peeta came up carrying Prim and heard him explain it to McGonagall in the Entrance Hall." He sat on the bed and focused on their joined hands. "My heart lurched when he mentioned you were there. I didn't even think, I just ran."

"Why?"

He looked into her eyes and Effie thought she was going to drown in his grey eyes.

"Do I have to say it?"

"No, but it would be nice."

Haymitch cupped her cheek and kept his eyes locked with hers.

"I care about you Effie." His thumb ran along her cheek gently. " _A lot_. A lot more than someone like me ever should for someone like you."

Effie'd had many kisses in her life. Good ones, bad ones, sloppy ones, sweet ones, even boring ones; but she'd never had a kiss like this. This one changed everything. Haymitch's lips on hers felt so right. In that instant she knew she would love him all her life and no one would ever come close to him again.

Being with Haymitch wouldn't be easy. But being without him would be impossible.

* * *

 _Please let me know what you think. Did I get boring with the details I felt compelled to explain?_


End file.
